Zuccini Plants are not growing Zuccinis

[TooCheep]

Pollinators are in decline now due to the neonicitinoid pesticides in widespread use. I have not seen even one bee this year.

Learn about mason and leaf-cutter bees. They aren't hard to provide good habitat for and encourage to stay and breed in your area. Unlike honey bees, they just want some nice comfy holes and some trivial resources to stick around. Oh... and minimize the pesticides.

 

[Eggscaping]

Pollinators are in decline now due to the neonicitinoid pesticides in widespread use. I have not seen even one bee this year.

We are researching pollinators like Mason bees, and planting lots of native plants to help native bees like bumblebees and the little guys that live naturally in the environment. As a result, we see quite a few hover-flies and native pollinators. Word to the wise: Research your area and find out what your local pollinators are - find out what plants/flowers they need to live, and plant those. Then do not use any pesticides. None! You get veggies that have a few chewed places or holes, but that's the price you pay to not kill the insects that you need for pollination. In a balanced yard, you will have bugs that want to attack your veggies and bugs that want to eat THEM. Aim for a natural, balanced, pesticide-free yard.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I'd buy some miracle grow or other fertilizer and be sure to water daily (unless it rains daily). I've never had to hand pollinate zucchini or any squash and don't think you should either. The plants look pretty good actually. Next spring before planting I'd mix in some good soil in before planting. You say there are plenty of insects so hopefully they will go to work pollinating for you! I hope you get some fruit soon! We are overrun with squash here, wish I could share them with you!

 

[TooCheep]

We are researching pollinators like Mason bees, and planting lots of native plants to help native bees like bumblebees and the little guys that live naturally in the environment. As a result, we see quite a few hover-flies and native pollinators. Word to the wise: Research your area and find out what your local pollinators are - find out what plants/flowers they need to live, and plant those. Then do not use any pesticides. None! You get veggies that have a few chewed places or holes, but that's the price you pay to not kill the insects that you need for pollination. In a balanced yard, you will have bugs that want to attack your veggies and bugs that want to eat THEM. Aim for a natural, balanced, pesticide-free yard.

Excellent post, but I didn't want to push quite that hard. Check into leaf-cutter bees as well. Different bees are active at different times during the growing season.

I've never had to hand pollinate zucchini or any squash and don't think you should either.

Hand pollinating is generally only done for controlled plant breeding programs or in extreme cases when pollinators aren't doing the job in the garden for some reason. With a reasonably healthy insect population, you should never need to worry about it.

 

[ShannonR]

Is that a general problem here in the U.S.? We have plenty of insects crawling and flying around here. Wild bees, wasps, flys everything, so do Zuccini plants need some specific insects species that are unavailable here? Never had to hand pollinate them back in Germany.

Your guess is fairly accurate. Depending on where you are and your pollinater population, this can be a real problem. Getting decent but not great pollination on my curcubits this year, with minimal hand pollination. In far northern California.

 

[ShannonR]

I'd buy some miracle grow or other fertilizer and be sure to water daily (unless it rains daily). I've never had to hand pollinate zucchini or any squash and don't think you should either. The plants look pretty good actually. Next spring before planting I'd mix in some good soil in before planting. You say there are plenty of insects so hopefully they will go to work pollinating for you! I hope you get some fruit soon! We are overrun with squash here, wish I could share them with you!

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Actually, over fertilizing can potentially result in alot of green growth, but no female blossoms. Good on you for finding the right balance to make it work for you, though! From what I have read, I believe the OP has more than adequate fertilizer applied.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

The last two posts have been very helpful. Hand pollination is often key. Learn to identify male flowers and female flowers.

I only saw male flowers in the pics... one way to jump start female flower production is to back off on the water for a few days....

No problem with that! It's a long way to walk with two homer-Buckets full of water from the duck pool to the zucchini plants…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Your guess is fairly accurate. Depending on where you are and your pollinater population, this can be a real problem. Getting decent but not great pollination on my curcubits this year, with minimal hand pollination. In far northern California.

Cental West Virginia! - I have planted Pumpkin too, on the used duck-bedding pile:

It has just started to develop the first flowers; are those male/females too?
Gosh i have no idea what i am doing!

 

[ShannonR]

No problem with that! It's a long way to walk with two homer-Buckets full of water from the duck pool to the zucchini plants…

Try giving them a break for a day or even 2 days. Watch for those female blossoms! My tomatoes benefit from not watering too much, also... mine weren't setting fruit very well until I started letting them go thirsty for a day or two.

And actually, the duck pool has alot of fertilizer in it-- uncomposted (but diluted) fertilizer at that. This might be contributing to the issue somewhat.

Good luck!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Pollinators are in decline now due to the neonicitinoid pesticides in widespread use. I have not seen even one bee this year.

Neonico-what? - I have 17 ducks! No need for any pesticides. Last year we had ticks in the grass, this year they're gone. But we have a lot of wild bees around here. Unfortunately also carpenter-bees. Those pesky hole drillers…